Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-10-07
EHR OUT UPON TEE PRAIRIE.


Twelve miles to my appointment, 1
vii! Jot down bit Of my experience.
faulk county is thoroughly aroused
over the coming election, dis they well
may be, for saloons have found lodging
Place within her boundaries and are
making whiskey votes. 1t seems to be
a real hand to hand struggle already.
was instructed to go to Burkmere, a
new stationI on tie r. r., where the
trail had run but two days. I landed
there near shutdown and rubbed myl
eyes and took q second look to find the
town, and all that greeted me was a
Depot in process Of erection, a little
warehouse, 12xl6, and half dozen
Worsmen, and a little shanty, where the
rallroad-men boarded. The lady who
was to entertain me lived two miles in
the country and had failed to put in an
appearance. l asked the workmen to
carry my satchal to the depot, and was
met by the answer, "the depot is not
finished and we have fitted it with
seats fer a lady who is to speak here to-
night. l introduced myself, but in
sisted that l must sit down somewhere
until the time for meeting, as it was
growing quite cold. AS the little board
ing bhanty was already full to over
flowing, my chances looked slim, but as
soon as my mission became known the
best chair was at my service, and 1 sat
there, thinking Of home, and wonder
ing where the audience was to come
from. But it came, and continued to
come, until the seats were filled, and an
organ made its appearance from some
where over the prairie, a barrel and
board soon made quite respectable
stand, and cultivated voices made good
music, and l never spoke to more ap-
preciative audience, presided over by
the same lady, who failed to meet me
at the depot, because she had after her
school was dismissed, driven ten miles
to Taulkton to carry me with her own
team and save my car fare. That young
lady is holding down claim, holding
the .C.T.U. up to working standard,
making public sentiment, and it was
her grace, grit and gumptlon, that en-
gineered the meeting through all the
difficulties. think it would pay some
of our Jerauld county bachelors to
make trip to that place, if only to gain
inspiration from the sight Of such a
! face She whispered to me. "you have
the honor OF speaking at the first meet
! ing ever convened ut Burkmere."' And
for once found myself in ahead of the
saloon or Capt. Van Etten, for it is pro-
verbal, that as soon as the engine stops
which brings the first emigrant, Capt.
Van Etten and the rum-seller are there
bottllng over which one shall have the
emigrant. But beat them both this
time. No doubt but next time 1 hear
from Burkmere it will claim five or six
hundred inhabitants. Next morning
bright and early took the train for
Faulkton and there stepped aboard our
railroad, and rode to Orient the present
terminus Of the railroad that passes
south through the western part of our
county, and felt quite sense Of pro-
prietorship.
| l asked the lady who met me at the
train how many members their union
had: -"30 working lady members" was
| the ready answer, "and our honorary
members are as busy as we, and hold
their regular meetings. Seeing about
two dozen houses, the most of them
just being built, l asked her where all
my audience was going to come from?
ooh, from all around the country, most
OF them will drive 6 to miles tonight
to hear YOU" And l thought of our
mothers who fail to find time and
teams to go one and two miles to at
tend our meetings.
| The depot that evening was packed,
| many standing outside besides. Among
the audience was Capt. Van Etten and
wife who had driven from Faulkton to
attend the meeting. have never met
more enthusiastic audience. Orient
is all built up since spring and the
sound Of many hammers and busy APP
pearance in the streets and rush and
hurry all betoken {; prosperous future.
The surrounding country is well settled
up and Will support a good business
place. ] left the ladies very busy, get
ting ready for their city election, to be
held this week. They expect to be at
the polls all day, with their dinner,
music, and flower mission work, as the
saloonkeeper has attempted to take up
his abode among them. He is now un-
der arrest. Such energetic people will
insure the prosperity of any town.
Back to Faulkton again, + was met
by family who took me ten miles in
another direction, where | was aston
lshed to be led into beautiful little
church, away out in the country, and
still more astonished to find in the au-